The bowling team, which Tulane added along with sand volleyball to return to the NCAA Division I requirement of 16 teams, will begin its first season in the 2011-12 school year.

Coach Hayley Beavis said having access to Rock ‘N’ Bowl, which is only a few miles from Tulane’s campus, outside of its normal business hours gives the first-year program an advantage over other schools.

“That’s something that a lot of schools don’t have the option to do,” Beavis said. “Most normal bowling centers are open from nine or 10 o’clock in the morning. Therefore, it might be difficult to get lanes. We’re very lucky to have such a great relationship with Rock ‘N’ Bowl.”

Beavis said she will use Rock ‘N’ Bowl as one of her primary sales pitches when she makes recruiting trips this summer. Beavis will travel to a collegiate expo in Detroit this weekend and a junior bowling tournament in Las Vegas in July with hopes of building enthusiasm for her program.

Beavis, 26 and a native of Chandlers Ford, England, began bowling at 14. She represented her country at the European Youth Championships in 2002 before beginning her collegiate bowling career at Martin Methodist College in 2006.

She bowled three years for Martin Methodist and finished as the national runner-up in collegiate singles in 2009. She completed her collegiate eligibility at Webber International, where she also earned a master’s degree in sports and business management.

Beavis spent the 2010-11 season as a graduate assistant coach at Webber International before accepting the job with the Green Wave in April. Beavis said her experience with first-year programs at Martin Methodist and Webber International will benefit her at Tulane.

“Having been a part of two first-year programs, I just got to see what different coaches did,” Beavis said. “What worked, what didn’t work, and that’s what I’m taking with me and adapting to my program.”

Beavis learned various drills and fitness techniques from her previous coaches and will incorporate those methods into her practices. She added that creating competitive practice sessions is necessary to physically prepare the team for tournaments.

“Fitness is a big key to bowling,” Beavis said. “People don’t realize you bowl all day, and it’s very tiring. You have to be physically fit to keep going for that length of time.”

Beavis’ coaching doesn’t stop at practice. During matches and tournaments, Beavis must ensure her players use the proper weighted balls and are “lined up,” utilizing certain parts of the lane according to its conditions.

The Green Wave will field a team of about eight to 10 players when the season begins in October. Beavis said the interest in bowling by the student body contributed to the athletic department deciding to add the sport.

“Bowling is a continuously growing sport,” Beavis said. “There are a lot of athletes here that want to participate in bowling.”

Beavis said her team will travel across the nation during the regular season, which lasts until March. Tulane will compete in tournaments hosted by both the NCAA and the United States Bowling Congress, the sport’s national governing body.